Divine Service and Worldly Sanctuary Hebrews 9:1

“A new covenant” ordained by God, according to the writer of Hebrews, “made the first covenant” “old”. In chapter nine and verse one of Hebrews the writer shares how the “first covenant” had “ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary” where we read:

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

The verse begins, “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service,...”. The writer began with the words, “Then verily” which means “therefore, accordingly, consequently and these things being so truly, certainly, surely and indeed” “the first covenant” or “the former and first in rank, honor and influence disposition, arrangement, compact or testament” “had also” which means “both, likewise and even” “ordinances” which refers to “righteousness, judgment and justification” “of a divine service” or “sacred ministration and worship of God according to the requirements of the Levitical law”. The “first covenant” had laws and rules pertaining to the “sacred ministry” that was to be offered to God.

The verse continues, “...and a worldly sanctuary.”. The writer added the words, “and a worldly” or “an earthly, mundane and terrain” “sanctuary which means “holy spot which is set apart for God to be as it were, exclusively his”. The “first covenant” was kept in an “earthly holy place” which was set apart for God.

When we think through these words in Hebrews, we see that the “first covenant” of God had “judgments” of “sacred” ministry, and these were set in a “holy earthly place” which was set apart for Him. This fulfilled the “law of God” and provided the means by which people could relate to God. Now we have Jesus Christ as our perfect high priest who sacrificed Himself for our sins, and all who put their trust in Him, “shall not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)

Next time the writer shares about “a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.